A little imagination theater … confirmation style.

“Pastor, is it OK to hate certain people?” a struggling confirmation student asks.

“That’s a heavy question,” I reply. “Can you first tell me why you’re asking?”

“You’ve taught us that Jesus tells us to love our neighbor as yourself, right?” the student responds. “Isn’t that known as ‘The Great Commandment?'”

“Correct! I’m impressed!” I happily exclaim!

“Then why is it OK for adults to hate people?” the student asks. “I mean, I see it all over social media.”

“Unfortunately, that’s the trouble,” I say with a sigh. “Each of us is an imperfect child of God, and we all too often succumb to following the values of this earthly kingdom.”

“Even you?” the student asks. … “Yes, most certainly even me,” I add.

“Even the president?” is the next question. “Because at Charlie Kirk’s funeral he said he hates his opponents.”

“Well, that isn’t what Jesus teaches us,” I say sadly. “Jesus in his Sermon on the Mount tells us to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us. Unfortunately, far too many of us don’t listen to Jesus.”

“But the president says he’s a Christian!” the student protests.

“There are tens of millions of people who call themselves Christian,” I say. “But again, unfortunately, because each of us is imperfect, we fall short of Jesus’ example. We adults often can be bad role models because we don’t live out a life like Jesus.”

“That’s sad, Pastor, and confusing,” the student says with a look of bewilderment on their face.

“It is indeed,” I will concur, “but remember that there is always hope that love will win the day. Didn’t you also notice at that same event that Erika Kirk, Charlie’s wife, said that she forgives the person who shot her husband because that’s what Jesus would do.”

“Yes, I saw that!” the student shouts! “That was brave!”

“It sure was,” I’ll share in their excitement. “We can’t forget that there also are plenty of people who do embrace Jesus’ teachings, and their efforts help grow compassion all around the world.”

Friends, if we want to understand why so many are tired of the church, or are indifferent to religious teachings, or think that Christians are hypocrites, then we have to begin to take seriously that each and every one of us is an ambassador of Jesus.

When we spout vile and boast about hating others, we are certainly not helping to bring about the heavenly kingdom here on earth. And furthermore we’re not going to be very convincing pitchmen for Christianity if we can’t model the very basic premise of loving our neighbor.

If only each of us would go back and read Jesus’ words again, this being faithful thing wouldn’t need to be as difficult as we want to make it.

Live like Jesus. Love like Jesus. Amen.

Devlyn Brooks is the CEO of Churches United in Moorhead, Minn., and an ordained pastor in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America serving Faith Lutheran Church in Wolverton, Minn. He blogs about faith at findingfaithin.com, and can be reached at devlynbrooks@gmail.com.